Meet superstar Nadeem, the talk show host

It’s a testimony to the fact that current affairs have eclipsed the entertainment industry in Pakistan. Otherwise why would actors of decent repute turn to talk show hosting? Nadia Khan started her showbiz career as an actress; she’s a morning show anchor now. Bushra Ansari is a performer with solid credentials; she’s become a chat show host. Maya Khan’s claim to fame was her decent acting in a play called Laila Majnoon; she’s interviewing people these days. And add to this ongoing list superstar and film actor Nadeem. And herein lies the difference between a great artiste and the secondary lot.

Watching Nadeem indulging in a tête-à-tête with celebrities is a delight. The actor, who is head and shoulders above in terms of his art and stature than most of the people that appear on his programme, speaks to the guests in such a gentlemanly manner and without a modicum of rancor that you start thinking: why can’t others be like him? But then, he belongs to the breed for whom diction, decorum and dedication matter more than self-aggrandisement.

Oh yes, before I forget. If only his show’s end credits could qualify Nadeem sahib as a compere and not ‘compare’. Or is it my eyes?